The Root Causes of Political Polarization: Role of the Youth
Keywords:
political polarization, adolescents, youth, root cause, politics, concern, divergence
Abstract
This study aims to determine the main factor causing polarization within the United States by interviewing the youth population—hearing their perspective and their experience on politics. Through comprehensive literature analysis and evaluation of current scholarly arguments on the main cause of political polarization, I found that there is no single factor that causes polarization, but through a combination of all factors. Additionally, this paper shares the ideas and viewpoints of adolescents (ages 16-19) on current politics, which offers a glimpse of potential problems that the government should consider fixing. Polarization is currently on the rise and has broached major debates among researchers and also concerns among adolescents.
References
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[30] Schleifer, T. (2025, March 20). Musk offers $100 to Wisconsin voters, bringing back a controversial tactic. The New York Times. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/us/politics/elon-musk-wisconsin-petition.html
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[38] Voorheis, J., McCarty, N., & Shor, B. (2015, August 23). Unequal incomes, ideology and gridlock: How rising inequality increases political polarization (Unpublished working paper). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2649215
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[2] Basu, Z. (2025, June 5). Musk goes nuclear: "Without me, Trump would have lost the election." Axios. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://www.axios.com/2025/06/05/elon-musk-trump-election-bill
[3] Benczes, I., & Szabó, K. (2022). An economic understanding of populism: A conceptual framework of the demand and the supply side of populism. Political Studies Review, 21(4), 680-696. https://doi.org/10.1177/14789299221109449
[4] Blue Ridge Assisted Living & Memory Care. (2022, January 22). Stubbornness in elderly parents: Understanding the cause. https://blueridgeassistedliving.com/georgia-assisted-living-blog/stubbornness-in-elderly-parents-understanding-the-causes/
[5] Boxell, L. (2020, June 2). Demographic change and political polarization in the United States (Unpublished working paper). SSRN. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3148805
[6] Brenan, M. (2025, January 16). U.S. political parties historically polarized ideologically. Gallup. https://news.gallup.com/poll/655190/political-parties-historically-polarized-ideologically.aspx
[7] Carroll, R., Lewis, J., Lo, J., McCarty, N., Poole, K., & Rosenthal, H. (2015, September 2). DW-NOMINATE and roll call data download page. Voteview. https://legacy.voteview.com/dwnl.htm
[8] Crawford, K. (2016, July 19). American political speech is increasingly partisan, Stanford research shows. Stanford Report. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2016/07/american-political-speech-increasingly-partisan-stanford-research-shows
[9] DeSilver, D. (2022, March 10). The polarization in today's Congress has roots that go back decades. Pew Research Center. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/03/10/the-polarization-in-todays-congress-has-roots-that-go-back-decades/
[10] Eichen, A., Rhodes, J., & Nteta, T. (2024, August 16). Could Americans' sexism tank yet another woman's quest for the U.S. presidency? US voters say they're ready for a woman president − but sexist attitudes still go along with opposition to Harris. The Conversation. https://doi.org/10.64628/AAI.uv3uycx9f
[11] Everytown Research & Policy. (2024, May 10). Update background check laws. https://everytownresearch.org/report/update-background-check-laws/
[12] Fields, G., & Thomson-Deveaux, A. (2024, April 3). Yes, we're divided, but new AP-NORC poll shows Americans still agree on most core American values. AP News. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://apnews.com/article/ap-poll-democracy-rights-freedoms-election-b1047da72551e13554a3959487e5181a
[13] Gangitano, A. (2025, June 5). Musk says Trump would have lost election without him. The Hill. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5335049-elon-musk-criticizes-trump/
[14] Gates, M. (2025, March 10). Unwell: National survey finds Americans are polarized and distrustful. ASIS International. https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/articles/2025/03/pandemic-readiness/polarized-distrustful-culture/
[15] Gu, Y., & Wang, Z. (2021). Income inequality and global political polarization. Social Sciences, 10(11), 227-238. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8608558/
[16] Hess, D. (2005). How do teachers' political views influence teaching about controversial issues? Social Education, 69(1), 47-48. https://www.socialstudies.org/system/files/publications/articles/se_6901047.pdf
[17] Janetos, N. (2017, May 16). Voting as a signal of education. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2968531
[18] Kleinfeld, R. (2023, September 5). Polarization, democracy, and political violence in the United States: What the research says. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2023/09/polarization-democracy-and-political-violence-in-the-united-states-what-the-research-says?lang=en
[19] Listen First Project. (n.d.). Toxic polarization: The latest numbers. https://www.listenfirstproject.org/toxic-polarization-data
[20] McCormick, C. B. (2025, June 23). The price of our divisions: Rage, rhetoric, and political violence in America. Independent Voter News. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://ivn.us/posts/price-our-divisions-rage-rhetoric-and-political-violence-america-2025-06-23
[21] Mogilner, C. (2011, August 2). The pursuit of happiness: Time, money, and social connection (Unpublished working paper). SSRN. https://doi.org/10.1037/e620972012-212
[22] Ojer, J., Carcamo, D., Pastor-Satorras, R., & Starnini, M. (2025). Charting multidimensional ideological polarization across demographic groups in the USA. Nature Human Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02251-0
[23] Ortiz-Ospina, E. (2019, September 18). The rise of social media. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/rise-of-social-media
[24] Pazzanese, C. (2020, June 3). When we can't even agree on what is real. The Harvard Gazette. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/06/study-finds-political-bias-skews-perceptions-of-verifiable-fact/
[25] Pew Research Center. (2024, April 9). Changing partisan coalitions in a politically divided nation.
[26] Pew Research Center. (2024, June 24). Public trust in government: 1958-2024. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/06/24/public-trust-in-government-1958-2024/
[27] PRRI Staff. (2024, January 11). A political and cultural glimpse into America's future: Generation Z's views on generational change and the challenges and opportunities ahead. Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). https://prri.org/research/generation-zs-views-on-generational-change-and-the-challenges-and-opportunities-ahead-a-political-and-cultural-glimpse-into-americas-future/#:~:text=More%20than%20half%20of%20Gen%20Z%20teens%20(51%25)%20do,44%25)%20identify%20as%20moderate%20identify%20as%20moderate)
[28] Rosenthal, E. (2021, November 16). Public opinion is unified on lowering prescription drug prices - why are Democrats settling for less? Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-11-16/public-opinion-prescription-drug-prices
[29] Salvatori, A., & Manfredi, T. (2019). Job polarisation and the middle class: New evidence on the changing relationship between skill levels and household income levels from 18 OECD countries (Report No. 232). Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. https://doi.org/10.1787/4bf722db-en
[30] Schleifer, T. (2025, March 20). Musk offers $100 to Wisconsin voters, bringing back a controversial tactic. The New York Times. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/us/politics/elon-musk-wisconsin-petition.html
[31] Sharpe, B., & Spooner, R. (2025). Dopamine-scrolling: A modern public health challenge requiring urgent attention. Perspectives in Public Health, 145(4), 190-191. https://doi.org/10.1177/17579139251331914
[32] Solar Energy Industries Association. (2024, September 10). New poll reveals overwhelming support for federal clean energy incentives. https://seia.org/news/new-poll-reveals-overwhelming-support-for-federal-clean-energy-incentives/
[33] Stirrat, C., & Abbondanza, J. (2024, October 17). Why the war of words in US politics hits harder than in Australia. SBS News. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/why-the-war-of-words-in-us-politics-hits-harder-than-in-australia/b3wd8ekdc
[34] Sweeney, P. (n.d.). History of television [Infographic]. Cornell University - Department of Computer Science. https://www.cs.cornell.edu/~pjs54/Teaching/AutomaticLifestyle-S02/Projects/Vlku/history.html
[35] University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. (2025, February 25). How dopamine affects decisions. https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/how-dopamine-affects-decisions
[36] U.S. Senate. (2017). Washington's farewell address, S. Misc. Doc. No. 115-5, 1st Sess., at 1-26 (Dec.). https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/Washingtons_Farewell_Address.pdf
[37] Vallejo, E. (2021, March). The 'diploma divide': Does it exist for racial and ethnic minorities? Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR) - Michigan State University. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://ippsr.msu.edu/public-policy/michigan-wonk-blog/diploma-divide-does-it-exist-racial-and-ethnic-minorities
[38] Voorheis, J., McCarty, N., & Shor, B. (2015, August 23). Unequal incomes, ideology and gridlock: How rising inequality increases political polarization (Unpublished working paper). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2649215
[39] Ward, A. (2024, April 11). Understanding and addressing social polarization between distinct groups in America: Can we bridge the gap? Democratic Erosion Consortium. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://democratic-erosion.org/2024/04/11/understanding-and-addressing-social-polarization-between-distinct-groups-in-america-can-we-bridge-the-gap/
[40] Wikipedia contributors. (2025, August 23). Political polarization in the United States. In Wikipedia. Retrieved August 29, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Political_polarization_in_the_United_States&oldid=1240974868
[41] Zajnal, Z. (2023, October 10). How did we get here: Understanding the demographic sources of America's party divisions (Shaping the Democracy of Tomorrow). Protect Democracy. https://protectdemocracy.org/work/understanding-the-demographic-sources-of-americas-party-divisions/
Published
2025-09-13
How to Cite
Li, A. (2025, September 13). The Root Causes of Political Polarization: Role of the Youth. Humanities and Social Science Research, 8(5), p30. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.30560/hssr.v8n5p30
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